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Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi May 20 2019, 02:31 AM

Hi Ybritt! Welcome to your thread for Gab's Army, my mentoring program. Here I will guide you with your guitar practice, creating routines, practice plans, giving feedback of your playing always based on your guitar goals and musical tastes.

Before we start I would like to know a bit more about you.


- How many time have you been playing guitar?
- Favorite guitarists, bands and musicians.
- What are your guitar goals?
- How would you like to you see yourself in 5 years (related to music and guitar)?
- How many time can you play guitar each day?
- Do you have playing live experience?
- Which are your strong and weak points with guitar?
- What do you know about music theory?
- Can you record videos of you playing?
- Share here audios and videos that reflect your current playing.

Posted by: Ybritt May 22 2019, 09:21 AM

Hi Gab,

Here are my answers:

- I have played guitar since I was 16 years old (1989). I have been in a few bands but none of them have come as far as to play actual gigs.

- Me discovering heavy metal music was the reason that I started playing. Bands like Metallica, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, GN’R, Motley Crue has always been a great source of inspiration. But over the years I have started to appreciate a lot of different rock music. Favourite guitarists: Joe Satriani, Slash, Glenn Tipton, Gary Moore.

- My goals are to be able to perform with other musicians feeling comfortable with my guitar playing, knowing that I can improvise and adapt to the piece being played. To be able to take on a solo without getting lost when I don’t manage to play it exactly as it sounds on the record. To be able to express on the guitar what I hear in my head. I have no rock star dreams (too late for that ) but the satisfaction of becoming better and being able to play what I want is a goal as such. My ambition is to join or create a band that plays mostly because it’s fun but also does a few gigs at parties or bars. Even though getting better technically is fun, I have realised that the most important thing is to sound good. Therefore, one of my goals is to expand my playing skills to improve the understanding of the context I am playing in. But to summarise, my overall goal with my playing is to enjoy music, have fun and the satisfaction it gives.

- In five years I want to have a band and play with confidence at my own 50 year birthday bash. Musically I hope to have reached my goals and feel that I have progressed significantly in my playing.

- During the weekdays I am happy if I get 30 minutes every other day. Weekends maybe twice a day times 20-30 minutes. My ambition is 30 minutes a day. Once in a while, maybe every other week, I get to play 1-2 hours . I think I could squeeze in some more playing time if I feel that I have clear goal and practice routine, but life is busy with job and family.

- No, not any live experience to talk about. I have played acoustic a song or two on birthdays and weddings but that’s it. However I have been in a few bands but never come past the rehearsal stage.

- Strong points: I think I am a fast learner, and I am pretty good at using all four fingers on the fretting hand. Weak points: I don’t take the time to practice at a slow speed using a metronome. Paying attention to accuracy and cleanliness is something I need to improve. The thing is, I need to convince myself that practicing slowly will lead to better playing at faster speed.

- I have learnt quite some about music theory the recent 5 years. Especially modes. I am currently working on how to apply chord harmonies, how to substitute chords in a progression and what that does to the key etc. I have a bit left on the application side. I am convinced that learning music theory will make me a better guitar player.

- I only record both sound and image with my telephone. However, I have a DAW software and, interface between computer and amp etc, and I would like to learn more on how to make good videos and recording, synchronising picture and sound.

I can send you videos once I have recorded.

Best
Ybritt

QUOTE (Gabriel Leopardi @ May 20 2019, 01:31 AM)

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi May 22 2019, 04:36 PM

Hi mate! Thanks for all your information. It's great to receive this deep details about your experience, goals and music taste. I think that I can help you to get the most of your practice time to reach your goals as a guitarist.

It would be great to see some videos from you. Using Daw and Video Software editor can be very helpful for your work here at the site. However, in order to make things smoother, you can share some videos recorded with your celphone, trying to make them sound the best possible.

What do you think?

Posted by: Ybritt May 30 2019, 07:51 PM

Hi Gab!

Sorry for the delay of my answer. I actually missed your reply so I was kind of waiting for that one still. My bad.

Here is a video of when I improvise to a backing track. It is not of high quality since I have problems with getting the image and sound to sync. It is recorded with my JamVox. Anyway my playing is far from flawless, playing a note out of scale every now and then, but it pretty much sums up where I am in terms of playing right now. I hope it is of some use for you.

I will try to get a better setup for recording going forward.

It means the world to me that you think you can help me with getting organized in terms of practicing.

Looking forward to hear your feedback!

Best
Ybritt

QUOTE (Gabriel Leopardi @ May 22 2019, 03:36 PM)

 Ybritt_impro.wav.wmv ( 69.67MB ) : 206

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi May 31 2019, 04:01 PM

Hi mate! Thanks for the video! It helps as reference to know where we start out work here. The quality of your video is good for this purpose.

Let's start with the first routine for the next week:

Routine Week #1:

Warming up (5 minutes): https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Warming-Up-And-Finger-Fitness/

Legato Practice (10 minutes): https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Bens-Land-Of-Legato/

Vibrato/Phrasing Practice (10 minutes): https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/guitar_loves_piano/

Improvisation (5/10 minutes): https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Jam-School-Pentatonic-Jam-Licks/


What do you say?

Posted by: Ybritt May 31 2019, 08:52 PM

Yeah, that sounds like a plan. I’ll check the exercises out this weekend and I’ll start working on them.

Thank you so far!

Ybritt

QUOTE (Gabriel Leopardi @ May 31 2019, 03:01 PM)

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi May 31 2019, 10:07 PM

Great!

Here I'll copy all your routines to have them as reference and easier to find: https://tinyurl.com/y455fhwr

Posted by: Ybritt Jun 5 2019, 11:54 AM

Perfect! Thanks Gab! I have started to understand and to work on the routines on a nearly daily basis. I hope that I can post some videos during the coming weekend for you to assess.

QUOTE (Gabriel Leopardi @ May 31 2019, 09:07 PM)

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jun 5 2019, 03:02 PM

QUOTE (Ybritt @ Jun 5 2019, 07:54 AM)

Posted by: Ybritt Jun 10 2019, 09:35 PM

Hi Gab!

Hope you’re doing well.
Here are my first two vids for you to assess.





I know they are not perfect but I am continually working on them.

Ybritt

QUOTE (Gabriel Leopardi @ Jun 5 2019, 02:02 PM)

Great!!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jun 11 2019, 04:36 AM

Hi mate! Thanks for the videos!

Here I go with some feedback:

- What's happening with metronome in first video? It's very confusing because it's not going with the backing track, isn't it?

- That legato lesson is a good choice for you because you really need to work on this technique. You need to polish timing on each pattern and also make the positions shifts smoother.

- Try to relax a bit your left hand when doing legato and do less strengh when pressing frets.

- I think that practicing land of legato at a slower tempo can be positive to work on the previous tips and comments.

- Now talking abour Guitar Loves Piano. Remember that both vibrato and bending should start from your left hand wrist, not from your fingers. Check out the first exercise from this video and practice it 3/5 minutes every day: https://youtu.be/JNDyI5b3Fh8

- The lesson needs more time of practice to get most of the expressive elements (vibrato, bending, dynamics, articulation). I recommend you to play it over the original lesson a few times to emulate vibrato and bending. Sometimes your vibrato starts too soon.



That's all by now. I think that it would be good to dedicate some more days to these ones, what do you think?


PS: Great t-shirt!

Posted by: Ybritt Jun 11 2019, 12:20 PM

Thank you for the feedback! Things I don't even notice myself so it is really good for me.
I'll take you comments into account and I'll get back to you when I am ready with new videos.

Ybritt

And yes, I am a big Iron Maiden fan \m/

QUOTE (Gabriel Leopardi @ Jun 11 2019, 03:36 AM)

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jun 11 2019, 02:24 PM

QUOTE (Ybritt @ Jun 11 2019, 08:20 AM)

Posted by: Ybritt Jun 15 2019, 12:55 PM

Hi Gab!

Working on the legato and piano exercises and I do think I am making progress. Hope to post som videos in the coming days. In the meantime I let you assess my jamming.

Have a nice weekend!

Ybritt

QUOTE (Gabriel Leopardi @ Jun 11 2019, 01:24 PM)

Excellent! That's the main idea of this thread! Keep on the hard work!!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jun 16 2019, 09:20 PM

Hi mate! Nice video!

This is exactly what you need to do as a part of your diary practice. Some thoughts about this video to inspire your next sessions:

- The good side here is that there are not pitch issues in this video.

- The main thing to improve here is timing and rhythm feel. You need to identify this issue by listening to this video and notice that your phrasing is not going tight with the backing track's groove. As a part of your practice I recommend you to dedicate some time to play different rhythms playing the same note. Try playing 4th, 8th,, 16th, and triplets over the backing for some minutes before starting the improvisation.

- Try to relax while playing, make your vibrato less nervous, let the note sound first and then add vibrato gradually. Also, use other fingers to help the one that is doing vibrato unless you are pressing the fret with your first finger.

- It's always good to dedicate some minutes every day to polish your guitar tone. I don't think that your tone is bad, but I feel that it can sound warmer, and more connected with the backing track. Try different settings, experiment!

Posted by: Ybritt Jul 7 2019, 10:25 AM

Hello Gab!

It’s been a while now, and as I told you in the beginning life is full work, family etc. But I manage to squeeze in some guitar playing every now and then.

Here is a brand recording of the legato exercise ready for your feedback.



I recorded the piano exercise as well but when I watched it I immediately saw the weak points in my playing and decided to pay attention to those and then record again.

The warm-up exercise is very good and I play it more fluently now than in the beginning.

When it comes to the licks I continuously work on them, studying Kristoffer’s technique. One thought though. I see in a lot of videos professional players using only three fingers on the fretting hand when performing bends, like in the 4th lick, leaving the pinkie aside. I tend to use all four fingers - pinkie included - when there is a bend over four frets. Is there any disadvantages in doing so? What are your thoughts?

Take care!
Ybritt

QUOTE (Gabriel Leopardi @ Jun 16 2019, 08:20 PM)

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jul 7 2019, 04:57 PM

Hi mate! Great to find news from you!!

Thanks for you update regarding your practice sessions.

That legato lesson is sounding good. I just have these thoughts:

- Try to decrease the strength then doing hammer ons, and maybe when you play the whole lesson. Please check out https://youtu.be/wsEHi1wykkc.

- Timing is not precise yet. It's not regular on each pattern. Just take care of it.


Regarding bending. The best is to be able to bend with any finger, in any fret, and reaching different intervals. That's why I recommend the first exercise from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNDyI5b3Fh8&t=1s for diary practice (at least 3 minutes). Does this answer your question?

Posted by: Ybritt Jul 7 2019, 09:05 PM

Thanks Gab! It does answer my question.

I appreciate your feedback. All those things I haven’t paid attention to over the years. The video about tension was very interesting and I will work on that too.

Another thing I have thought about, when I see videos of people playing fast, is that they keep their fingers on the fretting hand very close to the fretboard and moves them with a minimum of effort. Myself, I have realised that my fretting fingers move quite a lot to and from them fretting board when I play. Seems like I can’t continue doing this if I want to increase the speed in my playing. But one thing at the time maybe...

Cheers!

QUOTE (Gabriel Leopardi @ Jul 7 2019, 03:57 PM)

Hi mate! Great to find news from you!!

Thanks for you update regarding your practice sessions.

That legato lesson is sounding good. I just have these thoughts:

- Try to decrease the strength then doing hammer ons, and maybe when you play the whole lesson. Please check out https://youtu.be/wsEHi1wykkc.

- Timing is not precise yet. It's not regular on each pattern. Just take care of it.


Regarding bending. The best is to be able to bend with any finger, in any fret, and reaching different intervals. That's why I recommend the first exercise from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNDyI5b3Fh8&t=1s for diary practice (at least 3 minutes). Does this answer your question?

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jul 8 2019, 10:05 PM

QUOTE (Ybritt @ Jul 7 2019, 05:05 PM)

Posted by: Ybritt Sep 19 2019, 03:22 PM

Hi Gab!
It’s been a while. I hope that you’re doing fine.

I have kept playing during the summer so it is not that I have become lazy

I have two videos for your assessment now to see if I am making any progress (hard to tell from my end sometimes). I’m also progressing with Todd in my boot camp training

Moreover I would like to know a little bit on what strategy that lays ahead. You have given me this practice schedule which I work on - and I understand the purpose of each one of the lessons. Should I work on them until I master them perfectly and then move on to new things or will we introduce new practice items in parallel?

What is the best way according to you?

Cheers!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Sep 20 2019, 03:02 PM

Hi mate! Great to see you here again!!

Thanks for your videos. I can see progress on both lessons and off course things to continue fixing. In the legato lesson I notice that in most of the parts you don't finish the pattern for each position, there is one note missing. Check it out!

The guitar loves piano lesson sounds good! There are some notes missed here and there, but nothing very serious. You can put more work into your bending and vibrato, but we can also move forward!

My suggestion is to keep on updating your routine, at least every 15 days, to stay inspired and motivated. You can still play once every day, those lessons that you enjoy playing, but moving forward is good to stay motivated. You can write me every week with your update and asking for a new routine when you are ready for it. What do you think?

Posted by: Ybritt Sep 24 2019, 06:09 AM

Your suggested approach about moving forward sounds good to me. I guess that I should always revisit the lessons I have done, and keep working on them, because the techniques that they deal with can always be better.

I'll check regarding missing that note in legato for sure.

QUOTE (Gabriel Leopardi @ Sep 20 2019, 02:02 PM)

Hi mate! Great to see you here again!!

Thanks for your videos. I can see progress on both lessons and off course things to continue fixing. In the legato lesson I notice that in most of the parts you don't finish the pattern for each position, there is one note missing. Check it out!

The guitar loves piano lesson sounds good! There are some notes missed here and there, but nothing very serious. You can put more work into your bending and vibrato, but we can also move forward!

My suggestion is to keep on updating your routine, at least every 15 days, to stay inspired and motivated. You can still play once every day, those lessons that you enjoy playing, but moving forward is good to stay motivated. You can write me every week with your update and asking for a new routine when you are ready for it. What do you think?

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Sep 24 2019, 01:41 PM

Great! Here we go:

Routine Week #2:

Warming up (5 minutes): https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Picking-Arpeggios/

Legato Practice (10 minutes): https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Bens-Land-Of-Legato-2/

Vibrato/Phrasing Practice (10 minutes): https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/neoclassical_solo_for_beginners/

Improvisation (5/10 minutes): https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/JamSchool-Blues-As-A-Tool/


PS: Here I'll copy all your routines to have them as reference and easier to find: https://tinyurl.com/y455fhwr

Posted by: Ybritt Oct 14 2019, 02:50 PM

Thanks! I have started to work on this routine as well, despite my silence here. I like the exercises, but the finger stretching for some of the arpeggios in the Warming up part is reeeally challenging and painful. I'll work on it however.

And thanks for gathering the routines. Awsome!

Cheers!

QUOTE (Gabriel Leopardi @ Sep 24 2019, 12:41 PM)

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Oct 15 2019, 05:03 AM

Hi mate!! Great to hear from you!!

We can replace that lesson with this one: https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Chord-Picking-Etude/

What do you think?

Posted by: Ybritt Mar 6 2020, 12:51 PM

Hi Gab!

Very long time since I got back to you, but fortunately it doesn’t mean that I haven’t been playing

I thought it was time to post a video again. It is the neoclassical lesson. Let me know what you think. There are some mistakes here and there, but I would like to have your overall impression.

As you suggested back in September it is good to have some rotation in lessons to stay motivated, so if you have any new recommendations for me I’ll be happy.

Take care!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Mar 7 2020, 03:56 AM

Hi mate!! Nice to hear from you!! From what I can see, you've been practicing! The first take sounds good in this video. There are some details to improve but you can play the whole thing clean and with the right timing. I notice that you can make your bending and vibrato sound more consistent, so I'll suggest new lessons covering these techniques.

These are my suggestions:

Warming up / Rhythm Practice (5 minutes): https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Rock-Essentials-1/

Mixed Techniques Practice (10 minutes): https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Simple-Aminor-Soloing/

Blues Vibrato/Phrasing Practice (10 minutes): https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/King-Alberts-Blues/

Improvisation (5/10 minutes): https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Jam-School-Motivic-Development/


Let me know what you think!

Posted by: Ybritt Mar 7 2020, 11:40 AM

Thanks Gab! This looks great. And thanks for the feedback. The new lessons seems very inspiring.

QUOTE (Gabriel Leopardi @ Mar 7 2020, 03:56 AM)

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Mar 7 2020, 05:44 PM

QUOTE (Ybritt @ Mar 7 2020, 07:40 AM)